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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · temple · key · root · field · stem · stand · leaves

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. field — farmland
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. key — for a lock
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — to bear
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stem — to come from
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com